New Delhi, December 6:
India and the United States have jointly called for additional punitive measures — including global asset freezes and arms embargoes — against Pakistan-based terror organisations Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), along with their proxy groups, supporters and financiers. The demand was made during the meeting of the India-US Joint Working Group (JWG) on Counter Terrorism and the Designations Dialogue, held on December 3 in New Delhi.
Both sides also pushed for further designations of ISIS and al-Qaida affiliates under the United Nations 1267 sanctions regime to ensure their members face comprehensive restrictions such as travel bans and weapon access.
During the deliberations, India expressed appreciation to the US State Department for designating The Resistance Front (TRF) — a proxy outfit of LeT — as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT). TRF had previously claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam terror attack.
The joint statement affirmed that fighting terrorism demands “concerted action in a sustained and comprehensive manner.” Both sides reiterated their commitment to deepening multilateral cooperation to combat terrorism through platforms such as the United Nations, the Quad, and the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
The delegations condemned terrorism in all forms, including cross-border attacks, and voiced concern over the increasing use of drones, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and artificial intelligence for terrorist purposes. They strongly denounced the terror attack in Pahalgam and the recent incident near the Red Fort in New Delhi, stressing that perpetrators must be held accountable.
The discussions also covered emerging threats such as terrorist recruitment, misuse of technology, and financing of terror networks. India and the US explored avenues to strengthen law-enforcement cooperation through training, information exchange, cybersecurity collaboration, and assistance on judicial and investigative matters.
The Indian delegation was led by Vinod Bahade, Joint Secretary (Counter Terrorism) in the Ministry of External Affairs, while the US side was headed by Monica Jacobsen, Senior Bureau Official in the Bureau of Counterterrorism at the US Department of State.